Ranji Trophy: Shreyas Iyer registers his first red-ball ton since 2021

After a string of ducks to start the season, Shreyas Iyer has finally returned to form as the 29-year-old has posted his maiden ton of the new domestic season in the clash against Maharashtra at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy in BKC.

Iyer entered the new Ranji season last week, having scored two ducks in the Duleep Trophy and, to his dismay, began the season with another duck against Baroda. There, he was not able to make amends in the second innings either, falling for just 30.

But on Day 2 of the clash against Maharashtra, the right-hander hammered 142 off 190 balls to bring up his first red-ball ton since November 2021. Indeed, the 29-year-old’s last ton in red-ball cricket came on Test debut against New Zealand in Kanpur, 39 innings ago. 

Iyer walked in at 123/3, with Mumbai just three shy of Maharashtra’s total, and stitched a 200-run stand with 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre. While Ayush ended up scoring 176, Iyer managed 142. Iyer’s knock featured 12 fours and four sixes. 

He eventually became the eighth batter to fall for Mumbai, being dismissed by Hitesh Walunj.

Suryakumar Yadav falls cheaply on red-ball return

India’s T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav also featured in the same clash, but he fell rather cheaply, managing just 7.

Suryakumar, like Iyer, was dismissed by the left-arm spin of Hitesh Walunj. This is Suryakumar’s first Ranji appearance this season. He represented India ‘B’ in the Duleep Trophy, where he registered scores of 16 & 5. 

Earlier, in the same clash, Maharashtra skipper and India hopeful Ruturaj Gaikwad departed for a duck, being dismissed by Shardul Thakur.

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